La Jollans Barbara Bry and Scott Peters are running for San Diego mayor

La Jolla resident, Democrat and current U.S. Congress member Scott Peters has filed a candidacy intention statement with the City Clerk’s office to run for San Diego Mayor in the 2020 election.

Peters is the second La Jolla Democrat to file for the Mayor’s seat: District 1 City Council member Barbara Bry announced in December 2018 that she is running, releasing a four-minute video earlier this month discussing her priorities and background. (It can be viewed here.

Bry was elected to the City Council in 2016 after a career in the private sector that included founding several local high-tech companies, such as ProFlowers.com, and working as a reporter for the Los Angeles Times and other publications. She said on Jan. 2 that her lack of political experience is a strength rather than a weakness.

Barbara Bry Courtesy

“I will make the tough decisions because I am not a career politician pandering to the special interests,” Bry said. “Instead of making decisions designed to preserve a career in elective office, I will be driven by what is best for our residents and our City’s future. It is time for us to get past the revolving door of political insiders if we want real change at City Hall.”

Bry’s experience also includes teaching entrepreneurship at UC San Diego and founding Athena San Diego, an organization that supports the advancement of women in technology and life sciences.

As of Tuesday, Jan. 8, these hopefuls were joined in the race by Assembly member Todd Gloria (downtown), J’Erek Evans (Hillcrest), Cedric Greene (College Area), and Rich Riel (of an unknown San Diego neighborhood), who also filed candidate statements for Mayor. Incumbent Mayor Kevin Faulconer is ineligible to run for a third term.

In local politics for nearly 20 years, Peters has served two terms as a San Diego City Council member (2000-2008), during which time he was appointed to the Commission on Tax Policy in the New Economy (2001), to the California Coastal Commission (2002), and served as the first president of the San Diego City Council (2006-2008). He was also Port Commissioner (2009-2012); and member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California’s 52nd District (2013 to present). His professional background includes 15 years as an environmental lawyer.

His congressional district includes San Diego, Coronado and Poway. Peters has served on the following boards: Armed Services; Science, Space and Technology; Energy and Commerce; Veterans’ Affairs; and the United States House Judiciary Committee.

District 1 City Council race

To fill the District 1 City Council seat, Aaron Brennan of La Jolla and Will Moore of Carmel Valleyhave filed candidate statements. District 1 includes Del Mar Heights, Torrey Pines, Pacific Highlands Ranch, Carmel Valley, Del Mar Mesa, Torrey Hills, University City and La Jolla.

According to City News Service, Moore is a small business attorney, and has served on the boards of the San Diego Leadership Alliance, the Urban League Young Professionals and the San Diego chapter of the American Constitution Society. He is currently president of the Carmel Valley Democratic Club.

Brennan, a La Jolla Town Council trustee, Democrat and local fire fighter, confirmed his candidacy to the Light and said the issues that drew him to the race include public safety and staffing for emergency personnel, short-term vacation rentals, housing and homelessness solutions, transportation, and taking “concrete steps” toward reaching the goals within the City’s Climate Action Plan.

“My thought process, when it comes to how government should run, is to have things be solution-based, not partisan-based,” Brennan said, adding that he plans a formal candidacy launch in the coming weeks.